Situation – Task – Action – Result – Reflection
The structure below will allow you to formulate answers to tricky interview questions by being clear and concise, whilst providing enough detail for the interviewer.
| STARR | Description | Example answer to the question: Tell me about a time when you have worked in a team |
|---|---|---|
| Situation | Briefly give some background information and set the scene. | A time I worked in a team was during my role as a Customer Assistant at Sainsburys. |
| Task | What was required of you? This should be brief, save the detail for the Action part. | There was one morning where delivery had come in late. This meant we had to work efficiently as a group to ensure all the products were placed on the shelves before the store opened at 10am. |
| Action | This is the juicy part, where you get to talk about the wonderful things YOU did. | To achieve this, I organised the products in the warehouse in the order they were going to be put away. This made the process more efficient for the staff on the shop floor, as they didn’t have to search for the next product and waste time. I also helped the newer members of staff by suggesting tasks to them that were familiar and uncomplicated. This assisted with the speed of putting the delivery away overall. |
| Result | Was it a success? If so, how? Did you learn some new skills? Be specific about the results – use facts and figures! | The result was that our team worked efficientlyciently and put the delivery away in record time. This meant that the store was fully replenished for 10am and both the managers and customers were happy. |
| Reflection | Is there anything you would do differently next time? Or, can you reflect on how this experience would add value to the professional workplace? | Upon reflection, our team worked well together as everyone had clear roles and responsibilities. This meant that we each understood our task and were able to perform it to a high standard, even in a high-intensity situation. This will be useful during this role when I’ll be completing tasks with a fixed deadline, or if I’m dealing with unexpected challenges that require me to work quickly and calmly. |